"My mind was stimulated" says a sharp-tongued critic from former Nikkei BP & Nikkei Inc. A current female university student sent a "2801-character review." A new book questioning SDGs from cultural anthropology, "Why Did SDGs Fail in Japan?" released today!

New book "Why Did SDGs Fail in Japan?" cover

Forever Green NPO (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Kei Watanabe) will release its new book "Why Did SDGs Fail in Japan?" on Kindle on June 30, 2026 (Tuesday), aimed at business professionals and Gen Z/university students struggling with modern life.

This book goes beyond mere knowledge stuffing or the conventional, "good student" platitudes of SDGs/CSR. It explains the "essence of humanity" from the perspective of "cultural anthropology," a first in Japan (※Self-researched: as of June 2026: for SDGs books in Japan), and analyzes sustainability from a completely new viewpoint as we approach a new era of SDGs. It presents wisdom for honing "overwhelming drive" and "mental strength" to navigate our rapidly changing modern society.

Book Overview

・Book Title: [Why Did SDGs Fail in Japan?]

Uncharted "Strategic Design Cultural Analysis" derived from 18 years of field experience

・Author: Kei Watanabe, Representative Director, Forever Green NPO

Executive Producer

・Release Date: June 30, 2026 (Tuesday)

・Distributor: Kindle (Amazon)

・Amazon Sales Page: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0H6X51GCS

・Price: 580 yen (tax included)

Why did two people with different generations and backgrounds react so strongly?

Why did two people with different generations and backgrounds react so strongly?

Prior to its release, professionals in the environmental and economic fields, as well as a current university student representing the next generation, provided feedback from their respective perspectives.

【From a Professional in the Economic and Environmental Fields】

We have received the highest praise from Mr. Tsuchiya, an expert known for his sharp and insightful critiques in the environmental and sustainability fields.

"Your book conveys a passionate and strong desire for environmental issues!! I feel the flow of thought from the idea that 'to act is to live' (by Chiyo Uno). This is human wisdom that connects to ESG, SDGs, and SWGs!! In the VUCA and BANI era, my work is stimulated and troubled by keywords such as the science of failure (Yotaro Hatamura), dual-sided management, zebra companies, zero-to-one, and trade-offs. Mr. Watanabe is a person of IQ x EQ x SQ trinity!!"

Mr. Yoshinori Tsuchiya (Current Ambassador for 4Revs, NPO NELIS; former Nikkei BP Inc. & Nikkei Inc.)

【From a Current Chuo University 2nd-Year Student, Representing the Next Generation: The Shock of an Astonishing "2,801 Characters"】

A current university student who read the book in advance sent an "enthusiastic review essay" of 2,801 characters to the editorial department, far exceeding the scope of a typical book review. The full text is published below.

"As a member of Gen Z, who is familiar with the term SDGs from elementary education, I found this book very interesting. Although SDGs are often covered in university classes, I was quite skeptical about whether this education was truly sinking in with students. Rather, I felt that because we were exposed to the term SDGs from a young age, we tended to pretend to understand it, or it had become a mere formality among young people.

This book, I felt, provided data-driven answers to those doubts and, from the perspectives of business, religion, and culture, innovatively explored the future of SDGs, discussing their true value. In Japan, there is the saying 'kindness to others is kindness to oneself,' but the way companies approach SDGs is exactly like that saying. I strongly felt from the text that it's not about altruistic appeals to so-called 'high-minded' consumers or noblesse oblige, but rather a natural stance for mid-to-long-term profit and survival strategy. Measuring society and companies by the simple image derived from the word SDGs is short-sighted, yet I feel this is an attitude commonly seen among my generation, Gen Z, and it's something that should be addressed. As mentioned on page 15, many students at my university also seem to take a cynical attitude towards environmental issues. Furthermore, the lack of an attitude that consumer behavior can change society, a concept of brand activism, is strongly felt in the contrast with other countries regarding corporate protests over the Israel issue. I had wondered about the lack of awareness that one's own consumption activities are connected to society, but the discussion on ESG was very convincing. I myself realized that the distance I felt as a consumer stemmed from the sense that companies' focus was solely on stockholders.

Also, while I have learned about the differences in cultural foundations between the West and Japan, such as Ruth Benedict's concepts of guilt culture and shame culture, in my university classes, the idea that the collapse of the environment, given by God to be overcome, would be a factor in interest in SDGs was eye-opening. Combining the insights from this book with my experience of encountering the term SDGs since childhood, I thought that the unfamiliarity with foreign words could also be a factor in its failure. Embarrassingly, I had never heard of terms like 'eco-exorbitancy' or 'brand activism' mentioned on pages 18-19, and they were new concepts to me. As I major in linguistics and sociology at university, thinking from the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis of linguistic relativity, which states that human cognition arises from understanding language, the absence of such words in common usage might be causing people to disengage from SDGs. From the perspective of shaping others' consciousness through language, I felt that the hollowed-out SDG classes, which seem to be neatly packaged as mere platitudes, should be re-examined.

Furthermore, the concept of noblesse oblige is not deeply ingrained in Japan, and with the withdrawal of the elite class from social contribution, the import of the SDGs concept is seen as mere imitation of the West or an authoritarian aspect, further intensifying the disregard for environmental issues and SDGs. This structure is similar to the self-righteousness of moral education classes and the imposition of punitive justice concepts, which were also questioned in this book. In Japan, where activities like voting or citizen activism have not been very active, perhaps we need to conduct education to foster awareness for the first time, rather than adopting a cold attitude towards SDGs.

Moreover, this indifference to SDGs is not only a matter of language and education but is also closely intertwined with Japan's social and economic background. The lost 30 years and the prolonged recession have physically and psychologically eroded young people's interest in environmental and social issues. The success of fast fashion brands that prioritize price over working conditions supports this indifference. While I mentioned the lack of brand activism earlier, the superficiality of a sense of ownership is likely a result of the complex interplay between the authoritarian values mentioned above and economic hardship. As discussed in the book, Japan's geographical aspect as an independent island nation, and its low passport ownership rate (approximately 17%, 16.8% as of February), symbolize a physical and psychological gap with global issues. The latter is partly due to psychological issues, but I feel it is also significantly influenced by the prolonged weak yen. In fact, during the period of a strong yen in 2011-2012, the passport ownership rate was higher at 24-25% than it is now.

In such circumstances, it is understandable that SDG initiatives do not resonate with citizens. When people can barely manage their own lives, they cannot turn their attention to global problems. Furthermore, given the national character that values discipline and sincerity, which has strong authoritarian aspects, and views labor union activities, demonstrations, and strikes with a cold eye, the lack of a sense of ownership is also understandable.

The establishment of a second Trump administration, which advocates for anti-ESG policies, will be an extremely cruel and decisive test for Japanese society, which suffers from this structural lack of ownership and authoritarian acceptance of SDGs. Japanese companies and educational institutions, which have imported SDGs due to Western global standards or authoritarian peer pressure like "because the UN promotes it," will lose their anchor as America, one of the greatest "authorities," steers in the opposite direction. If Japan's SDGs were merely instructions from above or a pose for the "high-minded," they would easily be cut as a cost-saving measure, using the shift in American trends or the prolonged recession as excuses. However, as this book points out, if the essence of SDGs lies in mid-to-long-term profit and survival strategy, they must be promoted for the survival of one's company and society, regardless of the trends of authority. The hollowed-out, superficial SDGs are, ironically, about to have their veneer stripped away by the external pressure of the Trump administration. In an era where the limitations of merely following authority are being exposed, we are entering a phase where we must regain our consciousness as true citizens and be truly asked about our "sense of ownership" in how we face social issues as our own survival strategy.

The profound insights presented in this book regarding SDGs and national character have given me more than just knowledge. As I navigate the job-hunting process and engage with society and corporations as a stakeholder, I feel I have obtained a reliable compass. To break through the indifference and cynicism that my peers often fall into, I strongly want to share these insights with my friends and broaden the discussion."

- Current University Student (20s, majoring in Sociology/Linguistics)

Why Re-examine SDGs Now?

As 2030 approaches, discussions about "Post-SDGs (New SDGs)" have begun in academia and the business world. However, there are things we must consider first.

Why did SDGs not take root sufficiently in society?

While the expansion of the sustainable market was anticipated, many companies have been forced to withdraw or scale back. If we lament this reality, shouldn't we first confront the causes? Despite the spread of SDG education, young people's self-esteem remains low. This book examines the background from the perspectives of "language," "culture," and "economy," and proposes a new perspective for fostering "mental strength."

Furthermore, discussions surrounding ESG and sustainability are in flux globally. This book focuses on the gap between externally imposed ideals and the daily values of Japanese people, questioning what Japanese people themselves believe in and how they should act.

Author Profile

Kei Watanabe (Watanabe Kei) Representative Director, Forever Green NPO / Executive Producer / Hybrid Environmental Strategist

Born in 1977. Started his own business at age 26. Engaged in music activities in the US (iTunes distribution, etc.) and taught environmental classes at a private school in Beverly Hills. After becoming the third representative director of the NPO founded by former University of Tokyo faculty members, his approach, which fuses science and sensibility, attracted student interest, leading him to give special lectures to students from 20 countries at the University of Tokyo Graduate School. With the belief that "there are infinite ways to convey," he leads unique sustainable strategies using "context design." He founded the environmental information magazine "ETT" and advocates for the new SDG concept "Sustainability is Love (an expression of affection)."

NPO Forever Green: Profile

NPO Forever Green was established in 2001. For 25 years, it has developed unique projects connecting culture, education, and business, starting with global warming. Its expressive environmental education content for children was recognized with a letter of appreciation from R.K. Pachauri, who was then Chairman of the IPCC. It has pioneered environmental communication, such as implementing tea ceremony in the US as a global warming prevention content featured on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, and holding Japan's first SDGs event, "Peace for Earth," in front of Shibuya Hachiko. Its unique activities have been widely featured in major media such as Forbes.

▪️Contact

Forever Green NPO

Planning Department

TEL: 050-3702-0982

Email: info@forever-green.jp

URL: http://www.forever-green.jp/

We await contact from partner companies who wish to co-create new markets with this innovative initiative.